Chương 6
She had believed him because believing him was easier than accepting the alternative.
"You knew he was worse."
Victoria nodded.
"He asked me not to tell you."
The words landed differently.
Sienna wanted to be angry.
She expected to be angry.
Instead, she felt tired.
Her father had spent his final months deciding what other people could handle.
He had protected everyone by leaving them unprepared.
"Why?" she asked.
Victoria looked at her.
"Because he knew you would come home."
Sienna looked away.
That was the first thing anyone had said all morning that sounded exactly like her father.
"Of course I would have."
"I know."
"Then why?"
Victoria's voice became softer.
"Because he knew you would blame yourself."
The room went quiet.
Sienna hated that the statement felt true.
She hated that her father knew her so well.
She hated that he had been right.
For years, she had built an identity around control.
Around being the person who arrived when things fell apart.
But there was one thing she could never control.
The moments she missed.
The conversations she did not have.
The last chances that disappeared before she knew they existed.
Harold placed a hand on the back of the empty chair beside him.
"Arthur did not want you fighting this battle because he knew what it would cost you."
Sienna looked at the sealed documents again.
"And now I am here anyway."
Nobody contradicted her.
Because everyone knew the same thing.
The battle had already started long before she entered the room.
And someone had been waiting for her to find it.
The battle had already started long before she entered the room.
And someone had been waiting for her to find it.
Sienna looked around the living room again, but it no longer looked like the place where she had expected to settle an inheritance dispute.
The polished table, the legal folders, the silver tea set, and the carefully arranged chairs all felt different now.
They were not symbols of wealth.
They were evidence of a conversation that had been delayed.
Her father had built his life around preparation.
He planned meetings months ahead.
He reviewed contracts line by line.
He kept handwritten notes beside digital records because he trusted neither one completely.
The irony was that the one thing he had failed to prepare her for was his own absence.
"Where is the rest of the information?" Sienna asked.
Nobody answered.
She looked at Harold.
"You said my father found enough to change his plans."
Harold nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Then there is more."
"There is always more."
The answer irritated her.
Not because it was vague.
Because it sounded like something Arthur would have said.
Sienna stood from the chair.
The movement surprised everyone.
For almost an hour, she had remained seated while people moved around her, argued around her, and attempted to control the direction of the conversation.
Standing changed the balance of the room.
Victoria noticed.
"So what now?"
Sienna looked at the documents.
"Now we stop pretending this is about paperwork."
One of the attorneys cleared his throat.
"Colonel Sterling, if there are concerns about possible financial misconduct, we need to approach this carefully."
"I know."
"Then you understand that accusations without evidence can damage innocent people."
Sienna looked at him.
"I also know that ignoring warning signs can damage people who cannot defend themselves."
The attorney accepted that.
He did not like it.
But he accepted it.
That was something Sienna respected about him.
He was cautious without being dismissive.
In another situation, she might have trusted him.
In another situation.
The problem was that trust had become expensive.
She walked toward the windows.
The sunlight reflected against the glass, making the room warmer than it felt.
"When did my father start investigating?"
Harold answered.
"About a year before he died."
"A year?"
"He noticed irregularities earlier."
"And he said nothing?"
"He asked questions."
"To whom?"
"People he believed he could trust."
Sienna turned.
"Who?"
Harold looked uncomfortable.
That discomfort was becoming a language.
"Harold."
He sighed.
"His chief financial officer."
"Name?"
"Robert Vale."
Victoria looked up immediately.
The reaction was quick.
Too quick.
Sienna caught it.
"You know him."
Victoria looked annoyed.
"Everyone at the company knew him."
"That was not my question."
Victoria crossed her arms.
"He worked with Arthur for fifteen years."
"And?"
"And people trusted him."
Sienna studied her aunt.
"You sound like you are defending him."
"I am saying accusations against someone are serious."
"Interesting."
Victoria frowned.
"What?"
"When my father was accusing someone, you were worried about my inheritance."
"That is unfair."
"Is it?"
Victoria looked away.
The attorneys stayed silent.
Sienna did not enjoy pushing people into corners.
Despite what Victoria believed, she did not get satisfaction from watching people struggle.
But she had spent years learning that discomfort was often where truth appeared.
People could control their words.
They had less control over their reactions.
"Did my father confront Robert Vale?" Sienna asked.
Harold nodded.
"What happened?"
"He denied everything."
"Obviously."
"He was angry."
"Also obvious."
"He accused Arthur of becoming suspicious because of his illness."
That made Sienna pause.
Her father had always feared losing his judgment.
He hated the idea that people would treat him differently because he was sick.
Someone using that fear against him would have been especially effective.
"Did my father believe him?"
Harold looked at the floor.
"No."
"How do you know?"
"Because Arthur asked me to keep copies of certain records."
Sienna stared.
"What records?"
"Financial reports."
"Where are they?"
Harold did not answer.
The pause was enough.
Sienna walked back to the table.
"Where are they?"
Harold reached into his jacket again.
This time, he removed a small envelope.
Victoria closed her eyes.
Another secret.
Another thing kept away.
Sienna almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because the entire family seemed to have developed the same terrible habit.
Everyone protected Arthur.
Everyone protected the company.
May you like
Everyone protected the family name.
Nobody protected the truth.
